AHEAD of Halloween, here are some spooky spirits to fire up your imagination.

A ghoulish looking bottle that may take unsuspecting drinkers by surprise, La Fee Absinthe Parisienne (£43.50, 70cl, thedrinkfinder.com) is a new but traditional French absinthe that uses only natural ingredients, and tastes more amenable than some.

To re-enact the louche ritual, which dates back to the 1800s, the anise-flavours can be enjoyed by slowly adding 4-6 parts iced water through a sugar cube placed on a perforated spoon, which rests on the top of the glass.

Rigg’s Shrub (£19.99, 70cl, thedrinkshop.com) is a fruit infused premium grain spirit from Eager Drinks that’s macerated with the juices of raspberries and blackberries to evoke apple and hedgerow fruits and a bumper Autumn harvest.

Devilishly divine, the melon based liqueur Midori (£11, 50cl, Asda) is enjoying a revival, partly due to its versatility in cocktails.

Japanese for ‘green’, Midori combines the sweet, fragrant taste of melons with seeded melons and this Japanese big-hitter can really be appreciated in flaming concoctions fired by Pisco, a South American grape brandy.